Bobbin

ABSTRACT

A yarn collecting bobbin comprising an elongated, tapered tube having a frusto-conical skirt affixed thereto is disclosed. The skirt encircles generally the base section of the bobbin, with a relatively short extension from the tube projecting beyond the lower end of the skirt. The skirt is firmly secured to the tube by any of several different techniques and is notched so as to entrain a yarn end adjacent thereto and commence winding of yarn on the bobbin.

United States Patent Nelson 5] Jan. 1, 1974 1 1 BOBBIN 2,565,562 8/1951 Keight 242/125.1 ux

[75] inventor: John Nelson, North Kingston, RI. FO G PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, RI, 452,735 11/1948 Canada 242/118.3 1,266,035 5/1961 France 242/118.3

[22] Filed: May 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 145,753 Primary Examiner-George F. Mautz Attorney-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton [52] U.S. Cl 242/125.1, 242/18 PW, 242/118.3

[51] Int. Cl B65h 75/28, B65h 75/10 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 242/118.32, 118.31,

242/118.3,l25.1,18 PW, 18 EW; 57/34 TT, l18.4,118.6,118.7, 118.61

Bell et all 242/1 18.3

A yarn collecting bobbin comprising an elongated, tapered tube having a frusto-conical skirt affixed thereto is disclosed. The skirt encircles generally the base section of the bobbin, with a relatively short extension from the tube projecting beyond the lower end of the skirt. The skirt is firmly secured to the tube by any of several different techniques and is notched so as to entrain a yarn end adjacent thereto and commence winding of yarn on the bobbin.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 32 F G 6 INVENTOR.

JOHN NELSON WWW AT TORN EYS BOBBIN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a yarn collecting bobbin and relates, more particularly, to a new and novel yarn collecting bobbin comprising an elongated, tapered tube having a generally frustro-conical skirt attached thereto, an extension depending below the skirt to take up residual yarn.

As used herein-the term yarn means any type of attenuated material either textile or otherwise, and the term bobbin" is employed in a generic sense as applying to any type of yarn receiver.

Bobbins of various configurations, and constructed of various materials are well known in the art. These bobbins usually have a hole bored through the length thereof by which the bobbin can be placed on a spindle, skewer, etc. for rotation therewith. The bobbins are used to hold roving, yarn, thread, etc., which is wound into yarn packages thereon in consequence of the processing of the yarn on any of a variety of machines, such as spinning machines or twisting machines, for example. The type of bobbin selected for any given windup operation will depend upon factors such as the size and shape of the yarn package desired and upon the ultimate use of the package. With the advent of automatic tending mechanism for spinning frames and the like as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,403,866 it has become desirable to provide a low cost bobbin comprising an elongated, tapered tube having a frustroconical skirt affixed thereto and having a yarn engaging portion projecting beyond the lower end of the skirt. As is fully disclosed in the above-cited patent, and with particular reference to the specific ring rail traverse motion described therein, these so-called skirted bobbins contribute to the production of cylindrical yarn packages adapted for over-end unwinding.

Customarily skirted bobbins are unitary devices wherein the barrel of the bobbin and the skirt are formed by molding plastic material. While these unitary plastic skirted bobbins appear to meet some of the needs of the textile industry, nevertheless, such plastic bobbins are, among other things, rather expensive to manufacture. With the recognition that presently in the textile industry there exists immense quantities of elongated, slender. hollow tubular bobbins of the type customarily employed to wind up yarn on spinning and twisting machines and the like, and, further, there presently is capacity for the production of vast quantities more of these tubular bobbins it becomes evident that the production of a skirted bobbin adapted from these tubular bobbins is a highly desirable product for use of modern day equipment such as the automatic tending mechanism alluded to above.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to the provision of a skirted bobbin incorporating an elongated barrel or tubular portion with the tubular portion having a slight taper over its full length, the taper being such that the diameter of the tubular portion increases from apex to base. This elongated tubular portion conforms to the present day tubular bobbins for spinning and twisting machines and the like discussed above. In accordance with the present invention a skirt is affixed on the tubular portion and encircles generally the base end of the tublar portion. However, a short extension from the tubular portion projects below the lower end of the skirt. These bobbins are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, are easy to balance and maintain their balance ober long continued use, and are admirably suited for use with mechanisms operable to commence winding of yarn on the bobbin automatically.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a skirted yarn collector or bobbin which is suitable for use on conventional textile machines.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skirted bobbin wherein a skirt is attached to an elongated conical portion in a rapid and efficient manner contributing to a bobbin which is economical and easy to manufacture.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a skirted bobbin wherein the bobbin includes an elongated tube onto which a skirt is suitably affixed and wherein an extension is provided on the bobbin at the base thereof for collecting residual yarn.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the yarn take-up mechanism ofa conventional ring spinning machine incorporating the novel bobbin of the present invention, and showing the operative position with respect thereto of the bobbin threading mechanism of the type, for example, described in US. Pat. No. 3,403,866.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 1 illustrating the position assumed by the yarn on the bobbin shortly after commencement of yarn winding thereon;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the bobbin of FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating one means of affixing the skirt onto the elongated, tapered tube; and

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 3 and illustrating alternate means of affixing the skirt to the tube.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With particular attention now to the drawing and referring initially to FIG. 1, bobbin 10 is illustrated as seated fast on a rotatable spindle 12 of a conventional multispindle ring spinning machine 14. The spinning machine 14 is constituted as an elongated frame having a plurality of additional spindles in alignment with spindle 12. Said machine 14 also includes the customary reciprocating ring rail 16 which extends substantially the full length of the machine and which mounts a plurality of rings 18 thereon, one for encircling each spindle l2 and its associated bobbin 10.. A traveller 20 rides on the upper flange of each ring 18 and engages yarn Y to thus guide the yarn onto the bobbin for winding up. Although, as stated above, spinning machine 14 has a plurality of spindles 12, only one spindle is illustrated herein, it being understood that the remaining spindles will be identical with that shown and described herein.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 the spinning machine 14 is provided with a patrolling tender of the type fully disclosed in commonly assigned US. Pat. No. 3,403,866 to CC. Bell and K.W. Niederer issued Oct. 1, 1968, the tender being shown fragmentarily at 22. In accordance with its operation as set forth in the cited patent, tender 22 is movable along the full length of machine 14 and is operable to reinitiate the winding cycle at any of the winding stations on the machine when the yarn thereat is interrupted. As described in the patent, tender 22 includes a suction nozzle 24 which extends from a vortex nozzle 26 for seizing the strand of yarn Y in the course of reinitiating of a winding cycle on the spinning machine. More particularly, nozzle 24 operates to draw the yarn downwardly through the opening in ring 18 and position the yarn against the base of bobbin 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

The bobbin of the present invention as illustrated includes an elongated generally cylindrical tube 28 having opposite apical and base ends 29 and 30, respectively. Tube 28 may be of the type presently employed on conventional textile machines for taking up yarn which has been twisted and the like, and manufactured of paper or wood, for example. Tube 28 is provided with an elongated bore 32 extending through the full length thereof. The upper and lower ends of spindle 12 engage with suitable bearing surfaces at the apical and base ends 29 and 30, respectively, of bobbin 10 to thus rotate the bobbin when the spindle is driven. Tube 28 is tapered along its full length to thus have a relatively small diameter at apical end 29 and a relatively larger diameter at base 30. The region intermediate the apical and base ends of tube 28 has a rigid, generally frustroconical skirt 34 formed of a thermoplastic material, for example, affixed fast thereon and, more particularly, the skirt is positioned in the lower region of tube 28 below the midpoint of the axial length of the tube and toward base end 30. As best seen in FIGS. 3, and 6, skirt 34 thereof does not terminate in the same plane as the base 30 of tube 28 but, rather, a short section or extension 36 of the tube projects below the lower end of the skirt. As an alternative, and as shown in FIG. 4, an extension 38 may be provided at the base end 30 of tube 28, this extension being a portion of reduced diameter integral with skirt 34. Extension 36 or 38 provides a surface on which any residual yarn withdrawn from nozzle 24 can wrap as the yarn commences to wind onbobbin The lower, outer terminus of skirt 34 is configured as a cylindrical surface 39 which is concentric with but substantially larger in diameter than tube 28. The surface of skirt 34 which is tapered is desirably abraded or covered with a suitable frictional material to preclude the coils of yarn wrapped thereon from slipping off that surface.

With continuing reference to FIGS. 3-6, it will be seen that the skirt 34 is constituted as a pair of circular walls which are spaced apart over the major portion of their lengths. The inner wall 40 ofthe skirt has an internal diameter which defines bore 32 which is tapered to correspond to the taper at that portion of the outside diameter of tube 28 where the skirt is to be gripped thereon. The outer wall 42 of the skirt, while being integral with wall 40 in the area of annular section 44, diverges outwardly therefrom as it extends toward base 30. At their outer ends, remote from sections 44, walls 40 and 42 are joined together by a series of equally spaced ribs 46 to thus present rigidity to the inner and outer walls of the skirt at their outer extremities.

In contemplation of its use with a ring spinning machine, the bobbin 10 will have yarn wraps placed on the surface of the skirt 34 and also on the surface of bobbin I0. Yarn Y is initially entrained on the bobbin by its engagement in a notch 48 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which may be one ofa series of such notches formed in the lower end wall of skirt wall 42. During this entrainment the residual yarnwhich is held in suction nozzle 24 is pulled out and caused to wrap on extension 36 or 38 of the bobbin. This prevents the residual yarn from wrapping about spindle 12 where it must be removed, usually by hand with concomitant inoperation of the spindle.

It has already been explained that skirt 34 is connected to tube 28 so that these two elements form a unitary structure. Such connection is provided in part by the frictional grip provided as skirt 34 is fitted on tube 28 with the tapered bore 32 in mating engagement with the tapered outer diameter of the tube. However, it is desirable to provide a further interlock between the skirt and tube to secure the two components together. With particular reference now to FIG. 3 skirt 34 is mounted on tube 28 over the upper apical end 29 thereof, the skirt 34 being then slid along the tube 28 until it wedges into a seat, the seat corresponding to the point at which the outside tapered surface of tube 28 matches with the interior diameter of wall 40. For purposes of insuring a firm seat between the two elements, a cement of adhesive is applied to the mating surfaces of tube 28 and wall 40 to thus firmly lock the skirt and tube together.

As an alternative, and with reference to FIG. 4, the skirt extension 38 discussed is formed as an adjunct of inner wall 40 extended so as to provide a cylindrical portion of slightly reduced diameter. Portion 38, being of reduced diameter in comparison to the diameter of inner wall 40 defines a step at 52. In this instance the lower end of tube 28 serves as a shoulder at 54 against which step 52 mates and grips. In this case the skirt is prevented from rotary movement and is precluded from moving upwardly, i.e., to the right in FIG. 4, by virtue of the engagement of shoulder 52 against the step 54. The skirt 34 cannot move downwardly due to the fact that the increasing taper of tube 28 prevents further sliding movement of the skirt in a downward direction. It will be appreciated that there would be sufficient resilience in the inner wall 40 to permit the shoulder 54 to snap over step 52 in seating engagement therewith even though the interior of portion 38 is slightly smaller than the outside diameter at the base of tube 28.

With reference now to the alternative embodiment of the bobbin as shown in FIG. 5, skirt 34 is mounted on tube 28 by sliding the skirt onto the tube from the apical end 29 thereof and moving the skirt axially into seating position on core 30 in the same manner as described in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 5 it will be seen that skirt 34 is provided with a cylindrical portion 56 which projects as an extension from the lower end of wall 40. Portion 56 forms a sheath encircling extension 36 of tube 28 and terminates in an inturned lip 58 engageable with the lower end wall of tube 28. In this instance, as skirt 34 seats on the outer diameter of tube 28, lip 58 snaps over and engages with the lower end of tube 28. A metal ferrule 60 is provided to lock the lip 58 in engagement with the lower end of the tube. Thus, skirt 34 is prevented from moving upwardly toward the apical end 29 of tube 28 by the engagement of lip 58 on the end of the tube. The skirt is also prevented from further downward movement toward tube base 30 by virtue of the increased diameter of the tube in that region as compared to the inside diameter of wall 40. Rotational movement of the skirt relative to the tube is prevented by the combined forces serving to hold the skirt in place on the tube.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6 skirt 34 is molded in place on tube 28. Here, the tube is provided with a series of annular depressions or grooves at 62 and in the process of molding the skirt on the bobbin the molten plastic is permitted to flow into the grooves and thus secure the skirt in position with the tube and prohibits rotary or axial movement of the skirt relative to the tube.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved it is intended that all matter contained in the above description as shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A bobbin for receiving strand material comprising, an elongated generally tubular member having an apical end and a base which terminates in an end wall, said member having a surface which is tapered from said apical end to an increased width at said base, a generally frusto-conical element having an elongated bore centrally therethrough for reception of said tubular member, said element being positioned at a predetermined locus on the surface of said tubular member to provide a zone of enlarged diameter around said member, said bore being tapered along at least a portion of its length to substantially mate with the surface of said member when said element is at said predetermined locus, holding means within said bore for engaging said end wall when said element is in said predetermined position to preclude movement of said element toward the apical end of said member, and an extension projecting beyond said zone of enlarged diameter and aligned with the axis of said member to provide a strand winding surface.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means includes a stepped portion formed within said bore, said stepped portion engaging against said end wall when said element is in said predetermined position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the extension is formed integrally with said stepped portion, said extension projecting from said stepped portion in axial alignment with said member.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said extension encircles a portion of the base of said member and terminates in a base end, said stepped portion being formed at said base end.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 including a ferrule for securing said stepped portion in engagement with said base.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ele ment includes strand entraining means for engaging a strand positioned proximate to said element and commencing the strand winding thereon during rotation of the bobbin.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said element includes inner and outer walls encircling said member, said walls being interconnected at one of their ends and being spaced apart at their opposite ends, and including ribs joining said opposite ends.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said opposite end of said outer wall terminates in a cylindrical surface disposed concentrically with said member. 

1. A bobbin for receiving strand material comprising, an elongated generally tubular member having an apical end and a base which terminates in an end wall, said member having a surface which is tapered from said apical end to an increased width at said base, a generaLly frusto-conical element having an elongated bore centrally therethrough for reception of said tubular member, said element being positioned at a predetermined locus on the surface of said tubular member to provide a zone of enlarged diameter around said member, said bore being tapered along at least a portion of its length to substantially mate with the surface of said member when said element is at said predetermined locus, holding means within said bore for engaging said end wall when said element is in said predetermined position to preclude movement of said element toward the apical end of said member, and an extension projecting beyond said zone of enlarged diameter and aligned with the axis of said member to provide a strand winding surface.
 2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding means includes a stepped portion formed within said bore, said stepped portion engaging against said end wall when said element is in said predetermined position.
 3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the extension is formed integrally with said stepped portion, said extension projecting from said stepped portion in axial alignment with said member.
 4. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said extension encircles a portion of the base of said member and terminates in a base end, said stepped portion being formed at said base end.
 5. A device as set forth in claim 4 including a ferrule for securing said stepped portion in engagement with said base.
 6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said element includes strand entraining means for engaging a strand positioned proximate to said element and commencing the strand winding thereon during rotation of the bobbin.
 7. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said element includes inner and outer walls encircling said member, said walls being interconnected at one of their ends and being spaced apart at their opposite ends, and including ribs joining said opposite ends.
 8. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said opposite end of said outer wall terminates in a cylindrical surface disposed concentrically with said member. 